The only way the construction of a massive �300 million sports centre at Monifieth will not go ahead is if Angus Council reject the proposals, it was claimed today, writes Stefan Morkis.
Dundee entrepreneur Tom Stewart said this morning his ambitious plans for the Snow Valley sports centre had not been shelved and that it would not be long before he submitted a planning application to Angus Council.
Mr Stewart claims funding is already in place for the centre and the only potential stumbling block for the development will be if the local authority turns down his application.

The A92 Arbroath to Dundee road is currently being upgraded, but no provision is being made for the possible Snow Valley development.

A spokeswoman for Angus Council today explained they could not plan around potential developments and if Snow Valley does go ahead, it will be the developers who are likely to have to foot the bill for any changes needed to the road.

Last October, a Virgin Islands-based venture capital company said they were backing the entrepreneur in his quest to build Snow Valley.

If the sports centre is built � on land on the south side of the A92 near Dobbies garden centre � it would become the biggest sports complex in the country.

The staggering plans for the development feature, in addition to the creation of 1000 new jobs, a multitude of sporting facilities.

These include a 12-lane swimming pool, 14 tennis courts, 15 basketball courts, two full-size gym halls, two indoor international football pitches, four indoor ski runs and an elite ski course to stage World Cup events, four full-size ice pads, snowboarders� half-pipe, a 13,500 seat arena, an indoor white-water rafting centre and a space centre.

Mr Stewart first announced his plans in October 2001 and hoped building work would start on Snow Valley at the start of the following year.

When the work was delayed, he said there was no point speaking to planners until the funding had been agreed.

After Celestial Overseas Ventures Ltd agreed backing, Mr Stewart said he hoped work would begin early this year, although changes to his plans have meant the work has been delayed again.

�There are changes being made to the plan and improvements being made to the project,� he said.

�We are still planning to go ahead with it and the only thing that will stop it is planning consent.�

Mr Stewart added he hoped to be able to submit plans for Snow Valley to Angus Council sooner rather than later.

�We are doing an environmental and geographical study of the area and have hired a company to do that. Once that has been done we will be able to draw up the plans and submit them,� he added.

Story by www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/